Aloe, a member of the
lily family, gets its name from the word ‘alloeh’, which is Arabic for bitter,
which is a reference to its green outer layer which is indeed very bitter.
While
there are some 240 different Aloe
varietals found growing in all four corners of the world, Aloe barbadensis miller
is the one that is grown commercially and incorporated in all the
various lotions, creams and shampoos that claim to have some type of aloe
in them.
Everywhere
you look today there are products that claim to contain aloe, making it one of
the most popular additives for bath and beauty products. This is because of Aloe’s
purported abilities to help heal and rejuvenate the skin.
Aloe’s ability to heal
has been known for thousands of years: African hunters used it as an
antiperspirant and it was also an ancient beauty secret among the pharaohs. It
is even mentioned in the New Testament and cited as an important medicinal
plant for purgative purposes by Ancient Greek and Roman Doctors.
With
high water content along with vitamin E and polysaccharides, aloe has been
scientifically proven to be beneficial for many types of skin conditions
including eczema, warts and
even dandruff. It is also
non allergenic, making it an ideal additive to cosmetic products, soaps and
lotions.
Even
though so many products now love to advertise that they contain, many of these
products contain such a miniscule amount of aloe that they can hardly be said
to be beneficial.
Luckily,
aloe vera is an easy plant to grow in your home, requiring only a minimal amount of
water and a good light source to thrive. By growing one at home and breaking
off a spiky green lancelot and then utilizing the sticky aloe gel that oozes
from it, you may find yourself benefitting greatly from the medicinal and
cosmetic effects of this miraculous plant without having to spend a small fortune
at the local drug store.
On
top of its cosmetic benefits, aloe gel is also great for minor burns, cuts and
scrapes, and can even be taken internally to help heal mouth sores and even the
digestive process. Aloe
juice is also great for constipation and research
has found that it may also help boost the immune system.
To discover more about the health benefits and remedies
using aloe vera, look no further than Yulia Berry’s e-book - “Aloe: Your
Miracle Doctor”. From here, you will learn about the wide array of internal and
external uses of aloe vera.
Yulia also dishes out tips on how you can prepare aloe in
your kitchen, depending on the condition that you would like to treat. She also
shares the history of aloe, why it is a must to take care of an aloe plant in
your own home. what its chemical composition is, what the biogenic stimulation
method is, and how it can be used for 130+ home remedies to treat more than
eighty different disorders.
Although
we believe in the therapeutic and healing properties of herbs, care must be
taken in the use thereof, as they are powerful compounds.
Botanical
Classification: Family
Aloeceae
Genus and specie: Aloe vera -
Aloe barbadensis
Other names:
Barbados,
Cape, Curaiao, Socotrine, and Zanzibar aloe
Description of the
herb aloe vera:
Aloe
vera is a clump forming perennial with rosettes of thick, fleshy, spiky, grey-green
leaves, young specimens being red spotted, and the plant bears yellow tubular
flowers in summer.
Parts used:
The
slimy inside of the leave is used (also referred to as gel) as well as a juice
extracted from the pulpy inside and a yellow bitter laxative principle which is
an exudate from the leaf which is dried to a crystalline substance.
To
prevent any confusion, herewith a summary of uses:
Aloe vera gel:
This
is the naturally occurring and undiluted gel obtained by stripping away the
outer layer of the leaf.
Aloe vera concentrate
or extract:
This
is the product obtained when removing the water from the gel
Aloe vera juice:
This
is a drink for internal use that consist of at least 50% of the pulped aloe
gel.
Aloe vera latex or
bitter principle:
This
is a bitter yellow liquid derived from the pericyclic tubules of the rind of
the aloe and which primary constituent is aloin.
Properties:
It
is a bitter herb with anti-inflammatory, astringent, emollient, anti- fungal,
antibacterial and antiviral properties, and is useful in the eradication of
parasites and stimulating the uterus.
It
contains a host of compounds that are biologically active and includes
anthraquinones, saccharides and prostaglandins as well as other constituents.
Anthraquinones:
The
anthraquinones contained in aloe, which has the purging and laxative action on
the digestive system includes aloin (barbaloin), isobarloin, anthranol, aloetic
acid, anthracene, ester of cinnamic acid, aloe-emodin, emodin, chrysophanoic
acid, ethereal oil as well as resistannol.
Saccharides:
It
contains various saccharides including glycoprotein, mucopolysaccharide and
polysaccharides such as galactose, xylose, arabinose, acetylated mannose as
well as the remarkable acemannan.
Prostaglandins and
fatty acids:
The
conversion of fatty acids to prostaglandins are rare but the major unsaturated
fatty acid, gamma-linolenic acid can be converted to 1-series prostaglandins
and have a very effective influence on reducing inflammation, allergy as well
as helping platelet aggregation (blood clotting at wound sites) as well as
wound healing.
Other constituents:
It
furthermore contains enzymes (oxidase, amylase, catalase, lipase and alkaline
phosphatase) amino acids (lysine, threonine, valine, methionine, leucine,
isoleucine and phenylalanine) vitamins (vitamin b1, B2, B6, C, E, folic acid,
choline and beta carotene) minerals (calcium, sodium, manganese, magnesium,
zinc, copper and chromium as well as other miscellaneous compounds such as
cholesterol, triglycerides, steroids, uric acid, lignins, beta-sitosterol,
gibberellin and salicylic acid.
Therapeutic uses of
aloe vera:
Internal use:
The
herb is used internally to combat most digestive problems, including:
constipation,
poor appetite, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome as well as - asthma, diabetes,
immune system enhancement, peptic ulcers.
Studies
have also shown that when aloe is taken internally it can stimulate and
regulate various components of the immune system by stopping the inflammation
and blood supply of tumors. It also showed interesting results in preventing
carcinogenic compounds from entering the liver and is combined in some cancer
treatments.
The
juice of the inner leave can be used for its anti-inflammatory effect it has on
Crohn's disease, but the laxative and bitter principle of aloe must NOT be used
by people suffering from Crohn's disease as it causes griping and cramping.
It
contains aloemannan which stimulates the growth of healthy kidney cells and
helps to slow the formation of kidney stones.
The
juice can be used very successfully to treat heartburn as well as ulcers and to
sooth the lining of the digestive tract. It is not that effective to treat
stress induced ulcers. However, it can be used for peptic ulcers caused by
excess acid, aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as well as alcohol
use.
The
oral use of aloe has produced good results in patients suffering from asthma
when the asthma sufferers were not dependant on corticosteroids for treatment.
The
exude from the leaves are used as a strong purgative and stimulant laxative but
can cause griping and has an abortifacient effect and should not be used in
pregnancy.
The
bitter principle in aloe exudate which cause the laxative effect is preferable
to use than that of cascara and senna, as aloe draws less fluid into the large
intestine and are less likely to cause electrolyte imbalance than the other
two.
In
a study where volunteers ate 120 grams of parboiled aloe for lunch and supper a
marked decrease in cholesterol, triglycerides and sugar was found, while in
another test using aloe extract, it reduced fasting blood-sugar dramatically
which is probably due to the stimulating effect it has on the pancreas to
produce more insulin.
The
gel can be applied directly to the skin as a softening agent.
For
burns and other wounds aloe is particularly effective as it activates the
macrophages which fights bacterial infection while at the same time increasing
circulation to the area which results in accelerated healing.
The
enzymes - carboxypeptidase and bradykininase are both involved to reduce
swelling, itching, reducing inflammation as well as pain.
Studies
confirmed that wounds treated with aloe heal far faster than other wounds not
so treated - both for traumatic as well as surgical wounds.
This
may be because it contains not only vitamin E and C as well as zinc, but the
polysaccharides also reduce inflammation and stimulate the fibroblast and epidermal
growth and repair process.
The
juice is also effective for the treatment of minor wounds and insect bites by
forming a "natural plaster" over the wound.
It
has good astringent qualities and is usually combined with other ingredients,
to make an excellent, soothing treatments for the skin and can also be used
with great success on hemorrhoids (piles).
In
studies it also showed a marked result in producing remission in skin cancers
and its superb anti-oxidant effect is effective to help prevent skin damage
from x-rays and other forms of radiation.
When
applied regularly to psoriasis great results are achieved and relieve the pain
and inflammation of eczema.
When
people with frostbite was treated with a cream containing aloe, the incidence
of tissue loss and amputation was reduced.
Aloe-emodin
which is one of the ingredients not only has a laxative effect, but it is also
involved in killing the herpes virus which causes cold sores and shingles.
Aromatherapy and
essential oil use:
Aromatherapists
use aloe vera by infusing the plant material into a base oil, such as almond or
apricot kernel oil.
This
macerated oil exhibits astringent, emollient, anti-fungal, antibacterial, and
antiviral properties.
The
oil is combined in massage therapy for its healing and rejuvenating properties.
Safety precautions
and warnings:
Pregnant
and breast-feeding women should not use aloe latex (the laxative part)
internally, although the topical application of aloe to the skin has no effect
on pregnant or breastfeeding women.
People
suffering from problematic hemorrhoids, ulcers, diverticulosis, colitis,
Crohn's disease, or irritable bowel syndrome should consult a medical
practitioner or trusted herbalist before taking aloe internally.
Extreme
care should be taken with the administration of aloe laxatives, as this can
cause severe digestive upsets.
When
used topically, some individuals may have an allergic reaction and a skin patch
test (behind the ear or on the forearm) is advised before use.
by
Gerald Crawford, born in South Africa, studied electronics, telecommunication, eco-travel and African travel
concepts. He taught responsible tourism in South Africa.
To discover more about the health benefits and uses of aloe
vera, look no further than Yulia Berry’s e-book - “Aloe: Your Miracle Doctor”.
From here, you will learn about the wide array of internal and external uses of
aloe vera.
Yulia also dishes out tips on how you can prepare aloe in
your kitchen, depending on the condition that you would like to treat. She also
shares the history of aloe, why it is a must to take care of an aloe plant in
your own home. what its chemical composition is, what the biogenic stimulation
method is, and how it can be used for 130+ home remedies to treat more than
eighty different disorders.
